Skipper Rohit’s words helped me get over non-selection disappointment, reveals Suryakumar Yadav
SKY opened up on his non-selection
|@ IPL T20
Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav, who was flabbergastingly omitted from team India’s T20I squad, admitted that he felt disappointed over the non-selection but revealed that it was Rohit Sharma who helped him clear his head. Suryakumar revealed that Rohit advised him to keep sticking to the process.
Non-selections generally cause divide in opinions but the omission of Suryakumar Yadav from India’s T20I squad to face Australia elicited outrage from fans and experts alike. One of the MVPs in IPL 2020, Suryakumar struck 480 runs at an average of 40.00 and SR of 145.01, yet that wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the Indian side as he was pipped to the T20I squad by the duo of Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey. Suryakumar’s non-selection became the talk of the town, with a section of fans even turning on the BCCI and accusing them of bias.
Speaking to PTI, the 30-year-old Mumbaikar reflected on his non-selection and admitted that he was left disappointed, but claimed that it was a piece of advice from club captain Rohit Sharma which helped to pick himself up. Suryakumar revealed that Rohit urged him to trust the process and keep piling on the runs and assured him that his time will come.
"That time in the gym Rohit was sitting besides me and he just looked at me, and I said, 'obviously, I am a bit disappointed', because he could see that I was expecting some good news," Suryakumar told PTI in an interview.
"Later on he was like 'I just believed you have been doing a great job for the team right now, and instead of thinking about that (non-selection), you just do the same things what you have been since day one in this IPL.
"... 'and when the time is right, your opportunity will come, may be today or tomorrow but it will come, you just got to believe in yourself'," Surya recalled.
"I really felt good because I knew how I was feeling at that time and even he could see it in my eyes clearly. I think to come out of that was a big boost for me,” he said of Rohit’s words.
The squad announcement came towards the latter half of the tournament, and with Mumbai coasting towards the title, Suryakumar was hit with the news of non-selection. The 30-year-old revealed that he tried to keep himself distracted, but could not help but think about whether his name would be on the list.
"During this tournament actually I was a bit disappointed. I knew the team was going to come out, and the same day I tried myself to keep busy, just try and avoid getting that thought -- there is a squad selection tonight.
"So I thought I'll just focus on my process and my things properly and instead of thinking about the call up, I will try and keep myself busy, I can go to the gym or maybe spend time with my teammates.
"But yes, at the back of the mind, there was a thought that the team is coming out tonight.”
The Mumbai stalwart admitted that he was left heart-shattered after the team announcement, but revealed that he quickly shrugged it off and, instead, focused on piling on the runs. Surya acknowledged that the players who took his spot in the Indian side had scored a ton of runs before earning their place in the side.
"I sat in a room and started thinking, why my name is not there, but after looking at the squad there were lot of players who got lot of runs as well and even they have been playing consistently, doing well for India, doing well in IPL.
"Then I thought instead of thinking about that, I'll just try and keep scoring runs, do my job, what's in my hand, what's in my control, and then wait for the opportunity, whenever it comes, grab with both hands," he said.
